Window assembly



Aug. 4, 1942. H. A. KAUF-MANN WINDOW ASSEMBLY FiledNov. 15, 1940 2 SheetsSheet 1 lNvEN-roR HARRY A. KAUFMANN BYf/l Aug. 4, 1942. H. A. AUI-'MANN WINDOW AS SEMBLY Filed Nov. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARRY A. KAUFMANN.

'I I! ulllllilllll\\\\ Iliilllllinlllnnlllllllllli lil.....isi-lll! `llillilillii..-.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 4UNITE/p STATES PATENT yOFFICE WINDOW ASSEMBLY Harry A. Kaufmann, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. Application November 15, 1940, serial No. 365335 I a (CL lss-64) Claims.

This invenion relates to storm windows and screens, and especially to the type thereof which contemplates an ali-metal frame and easy removability by an operator who is inside of the building. It is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 322,793 of the Series of 1935 which relates'to similar constructions and wherein is disclosed and claimed portions of the incidental disclosure herein.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction of the class indicated which is adaptable to mass-production methods yet requiring only simple machinery, and which is accordingly inexpensive to construct and install and yet efficient in operation and having certain denite advantages in manipulation.

A further object of ie invention is to provide a construction of the storm window class which will t tigh'ly against the window frame and provide within itself means for compensating for the ordinary variations from the rectangular which frequently appear in a wooden window frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a form for a. channel for a metallic frame which is readily manufactured. by rolling, which is strong and durable and which may be available for various different types of use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for bonding the corners of a metallic window frame in a manner that will be rapid of application, strong in operation and smooth in appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide skilled in the art/upon examinalion of the following specification in the light of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts: I

Figure 1 represents a broken view of a portion of a window as seen from the interior of the building. The side not shown is constructed identically with the side shown.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the corner construction of the window frame together with the cap enclosingy thev same and the various portions of this figure are separately identified.

Figure 3 shows a section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1, together with a portion of the Wooden window frame 4:of the building.

Figure 4 shows a section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 shows a section taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1. f.'

Figure 6 showsafsection taken ontthe line VI-VI of Fig. 1. Y,

Figure 7 shows a section taken on the lines VII- VII of Figs. 1 and 2;

Figure 8 shows a section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 1.

Figure 9 shows a broken perspective view of the middle portion of the window in the region ofthe retaining spring.

Figure 10 shows a broken perspective view of the lower portion of the windowin the region of the frame to show the arrangement of parts thereon.

Figure 11 is a section view taken on the section indicated by the lines XI-XI in Figure 1 and 9.

Figure 12 is a broken perspective view of a p0rtion of the side of the Window below the meeting rails to show the arrangement of parts therein.

There are now on the market or otherwise available manyvforms of metallic frame storm Window and such,l by itself, is, far from new. However, all of the y' presently available forms `have various disadvantages which in varying degrees have kept them from being `widely accepted by the public. Some are expensive, Some are complicated to operate, some are diicult to install and remove, some are noisy by reason of the Window rattling in the frame when the wind blows, some have an awkward appearance, few are adjustable to t the average wooden window frame well, and most have various c ombinations of these named disadvantages together with others not named. By. the herein disclosed window, the applicant has succeeded in solving these various difliculties and for the rst time presents to the public a storm window assembly which includes also a screen and which is inexpensive to manufacture and install. It is easy to operate, easy to remove and re-install, nonrattling, smooth in appearance, .sturdily constructed, easily adjustable to compensate for any ordinary mis-construction of the average woodenwindow frame into Which this is to be fitted, and which is of the double hung type so that it may be used, by proper adjustment, to control ventilation.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the numeral I represents the metallic window frame which holds the storm window and screen and which is placed within the wooden frame l of the building window outside of but resting against the blind stop 1a thereof. `The frame is.

made of a channel of substantialy chair shape as at 2 (Fig. 3) into which is fitted channel 3. The

distance from pointsl 2a on part 2 to part I9' should be slightly greater than the thickness of the normal blind stop found in the average window. I have found one-half inch to be satisfactory for this purpose. The length of member I9 of channel 2 should be sufficient to accommodate both window sashes (Figs. 4 and 5) but should not be greater than the distance from the outer extremity of the blind stop to the outer part of the frame in the average wooden window in order to preserve a smooth. appearance from the outside. I have found three-fourths of an inch to be satisfactory for this purpose. The sections of Figs. 3,' 4, 5, and 6 show that this form of channel is used all of .the way around the window frame. An opening at 4 accommodates screw 6 which fastens the metallic frame to the wooden frame 1 of the `main window frame. When the window 8 with its sash 9 is removed, a

screwdriver" may be inserted through opening 5 to tighten screw 6. Any convenient number of these screws may be used according to the size of vthe window frame.

tight seal between channels2 and 3. Hence,

merely by tightening the various screws, of which 5 is one, the channel 3 will be caused to fit tightly against the wooden window frame 1 and the metallic i'rame I will accommodate itself to ordinary irregularities in the construction of the wooden window frame. Thus all but negligible leakage of air and water is prevented.

The corner construction of frame I is shown in Fig. 2. Here the channels 2 are mitered at I I and I2, as shown, and the channels 3 are mitered at I3 and I4 as shown. Angle I5 is constructed to provide the connecting piece between the adjacent legs of the frame. Of angle I5, legs I6 will ilt into opening Ilia of flange I1 as shown in Fig. 7. Leg I8 of angle I5 will lie flat against part I9 of channels 2. Portions of flange I1 are indented into openings 20 of angle I5 to bond the parts firmly together, as shown at 2I of Fig. '7.

Inasmuch as flanges 22 of the expansion channels 3 also extend into space I6a of channels 2, it is obvious that it becomes necessary to cut out a portion of flanges 22 near the corners of the frame I, as shown in Fig. 2 at parts c and d thereof, so that the cross-section of the assembled parts shows expansion channel 3 as in Fig. 'I instead oi its normal appearance as in Fig. 3.

Since the adjacent channels 2 are not welded to each other, the tips 23` and 23a sometimes tend to work out of perfect alignment with each other to cause leakage of air and an unsightly appearance. Also when expansion channels 3 which have been mitered at I4 and I3 for exact fit, are moved outward to compensate for imperfect rectangularity of the Wooden window frame, it is obvious that they will not meet exactly at the corners. Hence, to hold all parts together and to cover an unsightly appearance, cap 24 is provided to iit snugly over the corner. is preferably made from a single piece of stamped sheet metal which is folded to the form shown in Fig. 2 at part f thereof. This slides with respect to the channels 2 and 3, sufliciently to permit any ordinary adjustment of expansion channel 3 This cap openings between the ends of the respective Y' channels 3 and provides suihcient sealingsurface between its fianges 25, 28 and 21 and the respectively contacting portions of channels 2 and 3 to constitute a weather seal against wind and water. I

Alittle above the meeting railsof the window sashes 9 and 28, there is ailixed a spring 29 having one end 30 bearing against sash 9 to hold the same tightly against flange I1 o f frame I, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 11. Spring 29 may be fastened to frame I by any convenient method,

. as by screwing as shown at 32.

'I'he upper sash 9 is held against falling by a member 33 amxed vertically in position as shown in Figs. 4, l1 and 12 which is directly below said sash 9. Member 33 is afilxed to channel 2 in any convenient manner, such as by a countersunk screw 43 as shown in Fig. 4. This member 33 provides support for the upper sash 9 (Fig. 11), as above mentioned, provides one face of a recess for the accommodation of a screen 35 (Figs. 4

-and 12) and provides a sealing face against which the adjacent rail of sash 28 lies in weather sealing relationship (Fig. 12,). This bar member then, assumes great importance in this assembly by eliminating complex means for supporting the upper sash and by eliminating complex means for Weather sealing the lower sash.

The lower part of the lower sash is held in place by means of a plate 36 which is fastened in any convenient manner, as by screws 31 as shown, near the lower portion of the lower sash 28. By simple manual bending of this plate inwith respect to channel 2, but hides unsightly ward, it may readily be made to bear against the adjacent rail 28a of sash 28 with a slight pressure to hold the lower end of the same tightly against the bar member 33.

While the foregoing description has shown and described a spring 29, retaining plate 36 and bar 33 on only one side of the window, namely, the right hand side as viewed from the interior of the building and shown in the various figures, it is apparent that the left hand-side of the said window is constructed similarly to the right hand side and that each of these articles together with their associated structures are duplicated on the said left hand side of the window.

The bottom rail 28h of sash 28 bears against a filler member 34, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, whichprovides a weather seal for the same, and which may be fastened to channel 2 by screws of which screw 44 is one. The frame 35a of screen 35 rests upon bar 34 and between the bottom rail of sash 23 and the flange I1 of channel 2 and shown in Fig. 5.

The top rail (Fig. 6) 9b of sash 9 is further held tightly against flange I1 of channel 2 by strip 31 which is screwed, or otherwise fastened, at 33 to the adjacent face of channel 2 and which has a portion 4I) extending into the opening 39 of the sash rail. This portion 40 may be bent slightly to exert pressure against the contacting portion of rail 9b to urge the same tightly against flange I1. Obviously member 31 also serves as a weather sealing strip.

It has previously been noted that screen 35. mounted in any convenientl frame 35a of width equal to the width of the rails of sash 9, bar 33 and bar 34, all of which are of mutually equal width, is mounted tightly and neatly within the recess defined peripherally by the bottom part of the bottom rail of sash 9 (Fig. 8) for the top thereof, by bar 33 on the one side and its mate (not shown) on the other side and by bar 34 on `the bottom, deiined outwardly by flange I1 of any convenient form of sliding catch, such as channel 2 and defined inwardly by the rails of sash 28. It will be noted also that if sash 28 beA which must t into .the usually narrow space (about 1% inches) between the blind stop and the outer extremity of the ordinary wooden window frame. The W-shaped form shown in the drawings (Fig. 3 and others) has been found convenient for this purpose. It is made of sheet metal, is easily rolled and c'ut to size and is strong. The glass is set into the same by setting it into a cushion of resilient material 8a (Fig. 3) in any convenient manner. It is desirable, however, to have a recess 39 (Fig. 6) in at least the top rail 9b for the reception of part 40, for, although parts 31 and 40 may be omitted without failure of the window, their presence is helpful in maintaining a tight fit. f

The operation of the windows may be best understood by reference to Figs. 1, 9 and 11.

The channels 2 and 3 are assembled as shown and the corners bonded as explained above. The frame is then set into the wooden window frame in front of but tightly against the blind stop with flange I1 outwardly and-spring 29 inwardly of the building. The screw 6, together with others like it, is tightened down by a screwdriver inserted through opening 5, by which operation the frame is xed tightly .in place and the channels 3 caused to fit tightly against the window frame 1. It will be noted that the cap 24 will adjust itself as the expansion channels 3 move outwardly but will always remain tight.

With the frame tightly in plase the top rail 9b of the upper sash 9 is placed from the inside of the building against the rod 33 (and its counterpart on the other side of the window) and under the lower end 3| of the spring 29. The sash is then pushed upward into place, in which position part 40 has been received into slot 39, spring 29 by its end 30 is pressing the upper end of sash 9 against ange I1 in effective weather sealing relationship and the entire sash is resting at its bottom upon the tops of member 33 and its said counterpart. Next the screen may be placed into its above-described recess if desired but it may be omitted if desired. Next the lower sash is placed against upper sash supporting member 33 (and its counterpart on the other side of the window) and against the bottom 3l of spring 29 (and its mate on the other side of the window) and pushed upwardly under said spring until the bottom ofsaidsash comes above the retaining plate 36. The bottom part of the sash is then swung inwardly against the bar 33 and the screen sash if the latter has been inserted) and slid down into place, in which position its top portion is held by spring 29 tightly against the bottom rail of upper sash 9 and both held against iiange I1 (Figs. 9 and l1) its bottom portion held by the retaining plates against the upper sash supporting bars (Fig. 4 and l2) by which its outer face is held in effective weather sealing relationship against said bars.

The manipulation of the lower sash may vbe facilitated by use of handles, such as shown at 4I, and it may be held in any raised position by shown at 42 which is intended to slide sideways by manual manipulation and hook against convenient supports amxed the blind stop Ia of the window frame.

-The removal of the Windows and screen is obviously affected by reversing the process outlined above for inserting them.

It will be observed that the herein disclosed window construction provides means for economical construction and ready utilization in a wide variety of situations. Costly molding or extruding of complicated shapes is eliminated and the channels used can all be readily made by rolling. Costly welding is reduced to a minimum by .being needed only on the corner bonding angles. As mentioned above, the expansible feature of the frame channels permits ready tting even where the wooden window frame is not quite rectangular.

It will be also noted that in operation the herein disclosed window has many advantages. The metallic frame is small and may beleft on the building throughout the year even if it should be desired to remove entirely the screen and windows. stalled and removed from the interior of the house by a simple manipulation and there are no screws, hooks or catches to get out of order or to confuse the person using the window.

It will be noted further that the window ts tightly and is effectively sealed against weather at all points. Holding by spring tension also has a further advantage in preventing rattling.

Obviously there are many modiiications of the herein disclosed window which may occur to those skilled in the art, many of which may even be improvements thereon, but which all will be within the scope of this invention and its equivalents. Such variations, lby way of example only and without any thought of inclusive designation, might be found in variations in size and shape to accommodate factory, hotel and apartment windows, as well as house windows, variations in type of sashes used within the general assembly, substitution of other resilient means for the retaining spring or even use of lbayonet slotted brackets or other retaining platesin place of the spring and substitution of differently shaped expansion means inlthe frame channel. I'hese and many other variations will occur in the use of this disclosure, but such variations, except where specifically limited by the claims, will fall within the scope of this invention.

It is apparent that the screen and glass are mounted in identical frames and that accordingly sashes fitted with screen may be substituted for the sashes herein shown as tted with glass and vice versa. Hence the claims should be so construed unless expressly limited otherwise. It has also been observed when it is desiredto omit the simultaneously used screen from the arrangement herein disclosed, it is desirable to make the members 33 and 34 extend the full adjacent extent of the ange I1 (without, however, increasing their thickness in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the window), for otherwise a rain and sleet gathering recess will appear above member 34 between the flange I1 and the bottom rail of the lower sash.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. Storm window and screen construction comprising in combination: a metal frame including an L-shaped cross-section, located within The screen and windows are easily in` a window frame and entirely outwardly of the blind stop of said frame wherein a flange of said frame is positioned outwardly of the building to which said frame is attached; a pair of oppositely arranged upper sash supporting members tted into the n/side angles of the opposite lowerperpendieuV ar members of said frame and each being of thickness in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said window frame equal' t between the two said upper sash supporting members; a sash occupying the upper portion of said frame and resting at the outer side thereof against the flange of said frame, on the bottom thereof upon the said upper sash supporting members and being on the inward side held by a spring hereinafter mentioned; a lower sash occupying the lower portion of said frame and being retained on the outward side of its upper rail by the bottom rail of the said upper sash, on its side rails by said upper sash supporting members and on its bottom rail by said filler member; a spring aiiixed near its middle part to the said frame and arranged to rest at one end against the inward side of a side rail of the 'upper sash and resting at its other end against the inward side of a side rail of the lower sash; a retainingplate aixed to the said frame near the vlower part thereof and arranged to bear against the inward side of the lower part of a side rail of the lower sash; and means for fastening said frame to the window frame of a building; whereby said Windows will provide tight sealing against the entry of wind and rain and may be inserted and removed by a simple manipulation which excludes separate manipulation of fastening devices.

2. Storm window and screen mounting comprising in combination: a frame structure includ- A ing a pair of parallel side members and a pair of parallel end members each having an L- shaped cross-section and each positioned to have its inside angle facing inwardly of the frame and of a building to which said frame is attached; a pair of oppositely positioned upper sash supporting members each aflixed in the inside angle of one of said L-sections of said frame side members and presenting a flat side inwardly of the window and being of length suflicient to support the upper sash in position as hereinafter specied; a ller member affixed in the inside angle of said L-section on the bottom part of said frame and presenting a flat side inwardly and being a thickness equal to said upper sash supporting members; a sash/occupying the upper portion of said frame and resting tightly against the outward flange of the said L-section of the frame side members and resting on its bottom upon the ends of said upper sash supporting members; a sash occupying the lower portion of said frame and having its upper rail resting on the outward side thereof against the bottom rail of the said upper sash, its side rails resting on the outward sides'thereof against the said nat sides of the upper sash supporting members and its bottom rail resting on the outward side thereof against the said at side of the said ller member; a spring aixed to the inward side of the said frame and arranged to press at one point thereon against a side rail ofy the upper sash and to press at another point thereon against a side rail of the lower sash; a retaining member affixed to saidI frame on its inward side and arranged to bear against a side rail of the lower sash; and means for fastening said frame to the window frame of a building; whereby said windows will provide tight sealing against the weather and may be inserted and removed by l a simple manipulation which excludes separate manipulation of fastening devices.

3. Storm window construction which includes: a frame structure presenting an L-section opening to the inward side of the window opening; an upper sash supporting member fitted into the inside angle of the lower part of said frame and arranged longitudinally of said frame to support an upper sash; a sash occupying the upper portion of said frame, retained outwardly by the flange of said frame and resting at its bottom upon said upper sash supporting member; means holding said sash in position; a sash occupying the lower portion of said frame and resting outwardly partly against a portion of the upper sash and partly against the inner portion of the upper sash supporting member; resilient means bearing against aside rail of the lower sash at a point longitudinally in close proximity to a point of contact of said lower sh with said upper sash to hold it tightly againsthe same; means bearing against' the lower p rt of a side rail of said lower sash to retain the same in weather sealing contact against the inner part of the upper sash supporting member; and means to fasten said frame to a window frame in a building.

4. Window construction including a frame presenting an L-section wherein a flange thereof is parallel to the plane of said window frame and extends toward the center thereof; a long and relatively narrow member affixed in the inside angle of said L-section but of less transverse extent than the respective legs of the corresponding extent of the said L-section; a sash located in said frame in contact by a rail thereof with said member; whereby there is defined a recess for a rail of a screen by the flange on the one side, the sash on the other side and the abovementioned long and relatively narrow member on the periphery.

5. Window construction, including a frame presenting an L-section wherein a flange therein is parallel to the plane of said window frame and extends center-wise thereof a member of rectangular section afxed in the inside angle of said L-section but being of less transverse extent than either of the respective portions of corresponding extent of said L-section; a sash located in said frame and having a rail thereof contacting a surface of said member which is of rectangular section; whereby there is defined a recess for a rail of a screen by the said flange on the outward side, the sash rail on the inward side, and the said member of rectangular section on the periphery; means for holding said sash rail against said member of rectangular section.

` HARRY A. KAUFMANN. 

